Germany's Top 2% Scientists 2020: Career-Long List

Germany has 8,792 scientists on the 2020 career-long Top 2% list. That places Germany 3rd in the world by number of listed scientists. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München has the most listed scientists (228), followed by Universität Heidelberg (179).

Single Year

8,177

First year listed

Career Data

8,792

First year listed

World rank by count

First year listed

Institutes

1,060

First year listed

Scientists in Germany on the list, by year

Career-long list, change on the previous year

2021+13.6%

2022+5.8%

2023+4.1%

2024+5.3%

2025+5.1%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	8,177		8,792
2021	9,436	+15.4%	9,986	+13.6%
2022	9,961	+5.6%	10,562	+5.8%
2023	10,088	+1.3%	10,990	+4.1%
2024	10,422	+3.3%	11,573	+5.3%
2025	10,666	+2.3%	12,166	+5.1%

Top 10 institutes in Germany

By number of listed scientists

Career-long list2020

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All 8,792 scientists

Career-long list2020

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Rank in Germany	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	42	SG Sheldrick, George M.	Universität Göttingen	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 3
2	55	GS Grimme, Stefan	Universität Bonn	Chemical Physics	Rank 4
3	114	MM Mann, Matthias	Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry	Developmental Biology	Rank 12
4	184	SH Sies, Helmut	Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 13
5	224	BP Bork, Peer	European Molecular Biology Laboratory Heidelberg	Developmental Biology	Rank 22
6	313	RM Reetz, Manfred T.	Philipps-Universität Marburg	Organic Chemistry	Rank 6
7	314	FA Fürstner, Alois	Max Planck Institute for Coal Research	Organic Chemistry	Rank 7
8	318	van der Aalst, Wil M.P.	Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 8
9	367	NF Neese, Frank	Max Planck Institute for Coal Research	Chemical Physics	Rank 17
10	383	TM Tomasello, Michael	Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology	Developmental & Child Psychology	Rank 3
11	404	AL Ackermann, Lutz	Universität Göttingen	Organic Chemistry	Rank 9
12	407	BP Blöchl, Peter E.	Technische Universität Clausthal	Applied Physics	Rank 15
13	411	BK Binder, K.	Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 6
14	422	AM Antonietti, Markus	Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 15
15	424	HW Herrmann, Wolfgang A.	Technical University of Munich	Organic Chemistry	Rank 11
16	447	MJ Maier, J.	Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research	Energy	Rank 3
17	453	WH Wittchen, Hans Ulrich	Technische Universität Dresden	Psychiatry	Rank 17
18	501	SV Springel, Volker	Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics	Astronomy & Astrophysics	Rank 1
19	514	CP Crutzen, Paul J.	Max Planck Institute for Chemistry	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 2
20	560	HF Holsboer, Florian	Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry	Psychiatry	Rank 20
21	568	SW Singer, Wolf	Max Planck Institute for Brain Research	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 57
22	707	HF Hartl, F. Ulrich	Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry	Developmental Biology	Rank 64
23	713	HA Hashmi, A. Stephen K.	Universität Heidelberg	Organic Chemistry	Rank 20
24	738	MK Müllen, Klaus	Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research	General Chemistry	Rank 11
25	743	HS Hell, Stefan W.	Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry	Optics	Rank 3
26	761	ZH Zur Hausen, Harald	German Cancer Research Center	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 42
27	780	JJ Jonas, Jost Bruno	Universität Heidelberg	Ophthalmology & Optometry	Rank 3
28	793	AM Andreae, Meinrat O.	Max Planck Institute for Chemistry	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 4
29	794	NE Neher, Erwin	Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 82
30	797	BH Brenner, Hermann	German Cancer Research Center	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 47
31	826	LW Löscher, Wolfgang	Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 85
32	831	LB List, Benjamin	Max Planck Institute for Coal Research	Organic Chemistry	Rank 26
33	865	DH Diener, Hans Christoph	Universität Duisburg-Essen	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 89
34	880	RP Russell, P. St J.	Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light	Optics	Rank 5
35	884	SA Stamatakis, Alexandros	Karlsruhe Institute of Technology	Bioinformatics	Rank 3
36	895	MS Maier, Stefan A.	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 28
37	905	EG Ertl, Gerhard	Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society	Chemical Physics	Rank 32
38	919	SK Simons, Kai	Lipotype GmbH	Developmental Biology	Rank 78
39	925	FA Friederici, Angela D.	Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 94
40	937	GP Grassberger, Peter	Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ)	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 11
41	953	HR Huber, Robert	Universität zu Lübeck	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 47
42	970	HA Henglein, Arnim	Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB)	Chemical Physics	Rank 37
43	971	PM Pfaffl, Michael W.	Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan für Ernährung, Landnutzung und Umwelt	Dairy & Animal Science	Rank 1
44	986	SB Scrosati, Bruno	Helmholtz Institute Ulm	Energy	Rank 8
45	989	BH Braak, Heiko	Universität Ulm	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 100
46	995	SF Schüth, Ferdi	Max Planck Institute for Coal Research	Organic Chemistry	Rank 31
47	1,033	MM Manns, Michael P.	Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH)	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 13
48	1,057	JC Janiak, Christoph	Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 7
49	1,157	BC Brabec, Christoph J.	Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg	Applied Physics	Rank 40
50	1,188	WF Würthner, Frank	Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg	Organic Chemistry	Rank 37
51	1,278	RW Risau, Werner	Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research - W. G. Kerckhoff Institute	Developmental Biology	Rank 109
52	1,297	NM Neurath, Markus F.	Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 17
53	1,374	DS Dimmeler, Stefanie	Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 88
54	1,378	RK Rajewsky, Klaus	Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine	Immunology	Rank 52
55	1,407	CR Conrad, Ralf	Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology	Microbiology	Rank 21
56	1,424	BM Beller, Matthias	Leibniz Institute for Catalysis	Organic Chemistry	Rank 42
57	1,433	BC Bolm, Carsten	Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen	Organic Chemistry	Rank 44
58	1,451	ZS Zeuzem, Stefan	Klinikum und Fachbereich Medizin Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 19
59	1,471	RE Ritz, Eberhard	Universität Heidelberg	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 12
60	1,495	SP Seeburg, Peter H.	Max Planck Institute for Medical Research	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 164
61	1,508	BM Breteler, Monique M.B.	Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e.V.	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 165
62	1,514	WO Wolfbeis, Otto S.	Universität Regensburg	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 4
63	1,536	AR Amann, Rudolf I.	Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology	Microbiology	Rank 23
64	1,543	KP Krammer, Peter H.	German Cancer Research Center	Immunology	Rank 59
65	1,557	PS Parkin, Stuart S.P.	Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics	Applied Physics	Rank 52
66	1,561	RD Raabe, Dierk	Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH	Materials	Rank 21
67	1,616	WH Werner, Hans Joachim	Universität Stuttgart	Chemical Physics	Rank 57
68	1,659	KW Kabsch, Wolfgang	Max Planck Institute for Medical Research	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 72
69	1,682	PS Pääbo, Svante	Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology	Developmental Biology	Rank 129
70	1,697	HA Hofmann, Albrecht W.	Max Planck Institute for Chemistry	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 11
71	1,702	MH Möller, Hans Jürgen	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München	Psychiatry	Rank 63
72	1,763	GD Guldi, Dirk M.	Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg	Organic Chemistry	Rank 52
73	1,777	WR Waser, R.	Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen	Applied Physics	Rank 58
74	1,796	WD Weigel, Detlef	Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology	Developmental Biology	Rank 138
75	1,818	HP Hänggi, P.	Universität Augsburg	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 19
76	1,835	FS Fulda, Simone	Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 92
77	1,868	HJ Hoeijmakers, Jan H.J.	University of Cologne	Developmental Biology	Rank 146
78	1,882	SB Scholkopf, Bernhard	Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 40
79	1,888	HA Hirsch, Andreas	Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg	Organic Chemistry	Rank 58
80	1,912	PB Persson, B. N.J.	Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ)	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 22
81	1,913	SD Svergun, Dmitri I.	European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 81
82	1,943	HC Haass, Christian	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 202
83	2,005	TT Ternes, Thomas A.	Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde	Environmental Sciences	Rank 4
84	2,010	VM von Mutius, Erika	Helmholtz Center Munich German Research Center for Environmental Health	Allergy	Rank 8
85	2,032	CM Cardona, M.	Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research	Applied Physics	Rank 63
86	2,044	LF Luft, Friedrich C.	Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 114
87	2,114	MP Malfertheiner, Peter	Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 31
88	2,118	BN Birbaumer, Niels	Universität Tübingen	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 215
89	2,142	AR Ahlrichs, Reinhart	Karlsruhe Institute of Technology	Chemical Physics	Rank 71
90	2,153	MH Möhwald, Helmuth	Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces	Chemical Physics	Rank 72
91	2,216	CI Cirac, Ignacio	Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics	General Physics	Rank 20
92	2,291	BI Baldwin, Ian T.	Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 12
93	2,293	AO Andersen, O. K.	Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research	Applied Physics	Rank 70
94	2,312	HK Hemminki, Kari	German Cancer Research Center	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 126
95	2,346	KG Klöppel, Günter	Technical University of Munich	Pathology	Rank 8
96	2,373	SM Stitt, Mark	Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 13
97	2,381	WH Weller, H.	Universität Hamburg	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 54
98	2,384	SP Shukla, P. K.	Ruhr-Universitat Bochum	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 25
99	2,400	HG Heusch, Gerd	Universitäts Klinikum Essen und Medizinische Fakultät	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 131
100	2,412	HD Häussinger, Dieter	Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 36
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Countries with a similar count

Career-long list2020

United States68,018 scientistsin 2020

United Kingdom14,999 scientistsin 2020

Canada7,225 scientistsin 2020

Japan6,316 scientistsin 2020

Australia5,441 scientistsin 2020

China5,273 scientistsin 2020

Explore other countries

Career-long list2020

France5,048 scientistsin 2020

Netherlands3,350 scientistsin 2020

Switzerland2,546 scientistsin 2020

Belgium1,413 scientistsin 2020

Austria962 scientistsin 2020

Luxembourg34 scientistsin 2020

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Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Germany are in the 2020 Stanford Top 2% list?

8,177 scientists affiliated with Germany are on the 2020 single-year list, and 8,792 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in Germany has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2020 career-long list, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München has the most listed scientists from Germany, with 228. It is followed by Universität Heidelberg with 179.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.